Rift
by Melora Maxwell
Summary: Thay, Jast and Caan. All loyal, purebred Daleks, above the glorious Emperor himself, but none as high as myself. Dalek Sec POV. AU as of 17.04.07
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Daleks and Cybermen. A secret Dalek cult. Daleks with names and imaginations. How could I _not_ do something from Sec's point of view?

* * *

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The BBC, Terry Nation, Dr. Kit Pedler and Russell T Davies own everything. Grrr.

Warning: Bloody great spoilers for Army of Ghosts and Doomsday, fairly hefty spoilers for most if not all the past Dalek serials.

* * *

**Rift: Part 1**

* * *

A spark.

A light in the eternal darkness.

Movement…

Perhaps it is Caan. He chooses to reactivate his travel unit after set periods of time to observe the area outside the ship.

He is cautious, and correctly so.

His caution has enabled us to survive the War, to evacuate from Skaro before it was consumed in the weapons-fire of the Time Lord fleet.

I activate my own travel unit, my head-piece revolving to study the actions of my brethren.

'**Report.**'

His eyepiece glimmers in the dim light.

'**Alien technology detected. There are noted disturbances in the Void.**'

Behind me, Thay and Jast activate their units and tighten their stance next to the Ark.

Thay, the youngest and most impulsive of the group, turns to me in excitement.

'**It is logical to conclude that there are enemies outside. Enemies with compatible technology.**'

Jast is calmer, more thoughtful. His ability to foresee and examine all possible outcomes of a particular course of action has served the Cult well in the years of the conflict.

He silently studies the Ark, and in turn the external monitors.

'**The preferred course of action would be to wait and observe.**'

Caan turns away from the external monitors.

'**We do not have that luxury, Dalek Jast. What is the alternate course of action?**'

Jast extends his manipulator stalk and scans the exterior of the ship.

I do not ask for a response. I have known him for the greatest period of time, a longer period than Caan or Thay. He will state his conclusions in due course.

'**If we are unable to observe, we must attack. Invade and observe. I can locate no realistic threats to the Ark, Dalek Sec.**'

He understands his mission. Protect the Ark above all.

Thay and Jast turn again to face me, awaiting my response. Caan turns back to the monitor, but I am aware of what he requires from me.

'**Activate the sensors. Restore power to all systems. Prepare to disembark.**'

* * *

My people.

My comrades.

My brothers.

Thay, Jast and Caan. All loyal, pure-bred Daleks, above the glorious Emperor himself, but none as high as myself.

Supreme Dalek Sec, of the First Garrison of the Dalek Empire.

Leader of the elite Cult of Skaro, and protector of the Genesis Ark.

One of the four surviving Daleks in this universe after the cessation of the Time War.

I am fully aware of my achievements within the Empire. In a less organised society, I would have been a target of fear, superstition, even hate. I would have been a target for the bastic-headed bullet of an assassin.

But Daleks do not feel any sense of rivalry, of competition.

I remain safe, protected with those who share my goals.

To think as the inferior races of the galaxy think.

To perceive as they perceive.

To dream as they dream.

It should be impossible.

But I feel a peculiar sense of pride in my achievements, and those of the Cult.

They have made the Dalek race all the more deadly.

I feel the ship shudder with energy as long-dormant systems overflow with power. Static crackles throughout the interior, the sparks gleaming white against bronze and black.

Thay, Jast and Caan position themselves around the Ark, activating their trans-solar disks in preparation for flight.

The graded hatch of the ship begins to glide downwards, the light…no, lights outside blazing overhead.

Metal and concrete. A bunker, perhaps a building of some form.

The scanners reactivate and transmit the most critical signals to the travel units.

The planet…Earth.

The landmass… Britain.

The lifeforms…_human_.

I feel a thrill of excitement as I translate the findings and hover in the golden light of the ship. Thay, Jast and Caan follow behind me, still guarding the Ark, their eyestalks scrutinising our surroundings.

Three figures stand before the ship, staring at us in horror. Two dark-skinned males, one holding some form of blaster weaponry, and a lighter-skinned female, her gaze filled not only with fear, but…something else.

I move to land before them, the excitement building in my systems and in my withered organic body.

'**Location: Earth! Lifeforms detected! Ex-ter-mi-nate! Ex-ter-mi-nate! EX-TER-MI-NATE!**'

* * *

The two human males retreat in fear as we move forward.

But the female stands strong.

And screams.

'DALEKS!'

We halt in shock.

How does a human know of our great name? We did not identify ourselves; she could have no means of knowing that we resided inside the ship…

How?

How does she know?

'You're called Daleks.'

I stare at her in confusion.

'I know your name.'

She removes her laboratory coat as she speaks, her movements sharp with anxiety.

'Think about it; how could I know that? A human who knows about the Daleks…and the Time War.'

The Time War…

Impossible.

The Time War never entered the Solar system. There was no trace of either the Time Lord or Dalek fleets.

She lies.

She must be lying.

But how would she know about the War if she lies?

My eyepiece zooms in on her face as she moves towards me.

'If you wanna know, then keep us alive. That's all I'm asking. Me and my friends.'

The dark-skinned male raises his weapon and trains it on my travel unit.

I stare at him in curiosity.

His voice betrays only his uncertainty.

'Yeah, Daleks. Time War. Me too.'

The other male moves forward. 'Yeah, and me.'

I turn back to the female and study her face before reaching a conclusion.

'**You will be necessary.**'

She retreats slightly in relief. Irrelevant.

I turn and study the Ark, diligently guarded by Jast and Caan.

'**Report. What is the status of the Genesis Ark?**'

Thay turns from his scrutiny of the human computers at the order, and moves to wait beside the device.

'**Status: hibernation.**'

Jast and Caan move to their respective positions surrounding the exterior of the Ark, their manipulator stalks extending and attaching to the monitoring devices.

'**Commence awakening. The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else!**'

I move to attach my manipulator stalk to the Ark. Thay follows my lead and activates the process.

The device thrums with power.

We retreat as one, lowering our manipulator stalks as the humans watch in confusion.

* * *

The female does not lose her expression of dread. The younger male keeps his weapon trained on the Ark and moves closer to her.

'The Daleks…you said they were all dead.'

She turns her head sharply to look at him. 'Never mind that, what the hell's a Genesis Ark?'

A secret well kept by the Cult.

Our treasure.

Our rebirth.

Our future.

But this is irrelevant at present. What gains my interest is the lack of personnel charging through the reinforced steel doors firing their pathetic weapons in a vain attempt to destroy us.

Clearly, there is something occurring within this building which has captured their attention.

Or else… it has captured them completely.

Another alien species?

It is conceivable. The lifesigns registered are human enough, but some aspect does not correlate to known human constants.

Adaptations?

Evolutions?

Enhancements?

There is only one certain means of discovering the answer to this obscurity.

I glide forward and stare at the female.

'**Which of you is least important?**'

She looks at me, folding her arms across her body.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'**Which of you is least important?**'

She glares at me now. She speaks to me as if I were a simple child.

'No, we don't work like that. None of us.'

My patience grows thin.

'**Identify the least important!**'

The older male steps forward, removing his spectacles. 'This is my responsibility.'

'No, don't.' The female does not stand down.

He ignores her.

'I, uh…represent the Torchwood Institute. Anything you need, you come through me. Leave these two alone.'

I study him briefly. A relatively young man, he exudes an aura of calm and scientific curiosity, emphasised by his white laboratory coat. He will be useful.

'**You will kneel.**'

He stares at me nervously. 'What for?'

'**Kneel.**'

He does so.

Caan, Jast and I move to surround him, Thay staying close to the Ark and the other humans.

'**The Daleks need information about current Earth history.**'

He does not look particularly concerned.

'Yeah, well, I can give you a certain amount of intelligence; nothing that'll compromise homeland security--'

Homeland security.

Ridiculous. What this planet calls security could be broken by a half-sedated Dalek hatchling.

'**Speech is not necessary. We will extract brainwaves.**'

His face grows pale and his eyes widen in panic as Jast, Caan and I close in, our manipulator stalks raised in preparation.

'No, don't!…I'll tell you everything you need! Don't…!'

The last noise he makes is a scream of agony.

The female hides her face in the shoulder of the younger male.

Download commences.

* * *

The withered body of the former Torchwood Institute Doctor Rajesh Singh falls to the floor as our manipulator stalks retreat.

The female and male watch in disgust as the corpse disintegrates on impact, dust scattering over the polished surface.

I reflect on the information extracted from his thoughts.

'**His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth, infected by the superstition of ghosts.**'

Our ancestors the Kaleds once spoke of ghosts. They were supernatural apparitions, seemingly of dead individuals or groups, walking the paths in which their corporeal bodies once trod.

Stories for inferior beings.

We Daleks do not believe in such things.

The female is the first to move in anger.

'You didn't need to kill him!'

Jast turns a dismissive glance upon her.

'**Neither did we need him alive.**'

What is one dead human to us? There will be millions more ready to join him once the Ark is opened.

I turn to the youngest of the Cult.

'**Dalek Thay, investigate outside.**'

Thay turns and moves towards the nearest door.

'**I obey.**'

I watch as Thay glides out of the Sphere chamber into the corridors of the Institute, emergency lighting shining overhead, blank concrete walls lining his path.

What is out there? What are the humans so afraid of?

I stare at the monitor.

'**Establish visual contact. Lower communications barrier.**'

The image projected from his retinal scope appears in the monitor. Thay scans the area with deliberation, searching for lifesigns and weakness in the structures surrounding him.

Metal on metal.

Metal on concrete.

Footsteps!

But no being I have encountered produces that kind of sound.

Thay moves cautiously, rounding a corner…and two figures appear in the distance. His retinal scope sharpens as he stares at them.

* * *

Human…and yet not human.

They walk and share a similar shape to humans. But no human wears metal across their bodies.

No human wears a headpiece of that design.

No human…has such blank eyes.

Thay halts and raises his weapon-stalk.

'**Identify yourself!**'

The being to the left speaks in response.

'_YOU WILL IDENTIFY FIRST._'

'**State your identity!**'

'_YOU WILL IDENTIFY FIRST._'

'**Identify!**'

I sense that this may continue for some time.

The human male speaks from behind me, failing to hide his inappropriate mirth.

'It's like Stephen Hawking meets the speaking clock.'

I ignore his statement and concentrate on the two beings standing before Thay.

'_YOUR REPEATED REQUEST IS ILLOGICAL. YOU WILL MODIFY._'

'**Daleks do not take orders!**'

The being on the right sounds almost triumphant.

'_YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AS 'DALEKS'._'

Our advantage is lost. But no matter. Our scan of these lifeforms is now complete.

'**Outline resembles the inferior species known as 'Cybermen'.**'

The perspective on the monitor shifts as Thay studies the two Cyber units before him.

'**You are Cybermen, created on Earth. We have identified your technology.**'

The right Cyber Unit makes no movement.

'_WE MERELY FOLLOWED IN THE WAKE OF YOUR SPHERE._'

They followed our ship between worlds. So…they are not of this dimension.

I study the readouts.

'**Long-range scans confirm presence of crude cybernetic constructs on worldwide scale.**'

* * *

An invasion.

Jast speaks from his position next to the Ark.

'**Dalek Sec, we must not engage in warfare. We must protect the Genesis Ark!**'

I silently agree. The Cybermen are of no matter or consequence to us. They are merely an obstacle.

One that Thay is more than capable of overcoming.

The Cyber unit continues to speak.

'_OUR SPECIES ARE SIMILAR, THOUGH YOUR DESIGN IS INELEGANT._'

The Cyber units are provoking him, with no knowledge of the consequences, and Thay has never entirely learned how to hold his temper in check.

The only lesson these beings will learn in their death throes is never to provoke Dalek Thay.

'**Daleks have no concept of elegance!**'

'_THIS IS OBVIOUS. BUT CONSIDER, OUR TECHNOLGIES ARE COMPATIBLE. CYBERMEN PLUS DALEKS; TOGETHER, WE COULD UPGRADE THE UNIVERSE._'

Thay studies the two units with incredulity.

'**You propose an alliance?**'

'_THIS IS CORRECT._'

'**Request denied!**'

I can hear the satisfaction in his voice.

The Cyber units snap to attention, their arm-weapons aimed and primed.

'_HOSTILE ELEMENTS WILL BE DELETED._'

They fire with no warning.

The shield surrounding Thay activates in a second, absorbing the energy blasts with a shimmer of scarlet.

'**Exterminate!**'

He returns fire. Both Cyber units fall with synthesized screams.

I know that this will not go unnoticed by Cyber Control.

The monitor shimmers, and reforms into the image of the Cyber Leader, the black marking on the headpiece absorbing all light.

How predictable.

'_DALEKS, BE WARNED. YOU HAVE DECLARED WAR UPON THE CYBERMEN._'

This is an insult to the word of war!

'**This is not _war_. This is _pest control_!**'

The Leader does not acknowledge the true insult.

'_WE HAVE FIVE MILLION CYBERMEN; HOW MANY ARE YOU?_'

'**_Four._**'

'_YOU WOULD DESTROY THE CYBERMEN WITH **FOUR** DALEKS?_'

If I was not aware that the Cybermen had removed all of their emotions, I would state that there is humour in that voice.

How vulgar.

'**We would destroy the Cybermen with _one_ Dalek! You are superior in only one respect.**'

'_WHAT IS THAT?_'

'**You are better at dying.**'

Another insult.

I do not give the Leader time to respond.

'**Raise communications barrier.**'

The monitor fills with static.

How infinitely satisfying.

Caan suddenly speaks. '**Wait! Rewind image by nine rels.**'

The monitor flickers as the recording of the previous conversation is rewound. The Cyber Leader appears once again, but this time I notice the male standing behind the Leader, holding a crude communications device to his ear.

I do not recognise him, but something about that male sparks…anxiety in my systems.

Caan does not notice my silent musings.

'**Identify grid 7 gamma flame.**'

The image increases in size, focussing on the male.

'**This man registers as enemy!**'

My sensors alert me – something has happened to the female!

I turn and study her. She is _smiling_ at the image on the monitor, her adrenaline count and heart-rate increasing to disturbing levels.

What could be so _encouraging_ about that male?

'**The female's heartbeat has increased!**'

The human male stands beside her and smiles also.

'Yeah, tell me about it.'

I ignore him and focus on her.

'**Identify him!**'

Her smile disappears, but the aura of newfound confidence remains.

'All right then. You _really_ want to know? That's the Doctor.'

* * *

I recoil in horror.

Him.

_Him_.

Of all the Time Lords that could have survived the Time War, it had to be _him_.

The Bringer of Darkness.

The Destroyer of Worlds.

The Ka-Faraq Gatri.

The _Doctor_.

He should have died with his people. Instead, he changes his face as freely as he interferes in the affairs of the Dalek Empire, with no consequences or regrets.

But if he can allow his own people to perish so easily, what will he do to us?

The female smirks as she sees our reactions.

'Five million Cybermen: easy.'

She raises an eyebrow as she glances at the monitor.

'One Doctor? _Now_ you're scared.'

* * *

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: To answer a few queries – no, I'm not a cunningly disguised Dalek. I just love the lil' dustbins too much.

* * *

Disclaimer: Me own Knights Tempus. BBC, Terry Nation, Kitt Pedler and Russell T Davies own Doctor Who. No sue please.

Warnings: Whacking great plot spoilers for AoG/Doomsday, Bad Wolf/PotW, and most of the original series.

* * *

**Rift: Part 2**

* * *

The Cult of Skaro versus the Cybermen of a parallel Earth.

I admit; a small thrill of excitement flickers in my mind as I consider the scenario.

We may be four in number at this moment, but we are mighty, and we are proud.

The Cybermen do not share this sentiment.

They are imperfect beings, created by imperfect beings. We have found their weakness, and will manipulate it as we see fit.

They will suffer for their overconfidence.

But the reappearance of the Doctor…

This complicates matters.

But we shall conquer all.

We shall succeed.

We shall exterminate all who stand before us.

* * *

Light reflects off the surfaces of our travels units as we cluster around the Genesis Ark, scanning the surface for any hint of kinetic activity.

Caan moves smoothly across the polished floor, his eye-stalk and headpiece rotating in perfect synchronisation with his torso. His caution in alien matters throughout the years of isolation has been repaid more than once over.

He does not show his apprehension.

Jast moves more slowly, his actions considered, careful, precise. He is the eldest of the Cult, and while I am the leader, I feel no discomfiture in listening to or following his guidance.

He does not show his fear.

A flicker of movement at the entrance to the Sphere Chamber.

The humans do not notice. They are already too consumed by their own fear.

Jast and Caan are too experienced and battle-hardened to give the emotional awareness of the youngest member of the Cult any thought.

I am the only being who notices the reaction of Dalek Thay.

His manipulator stalk twitches in anxiety; the movements of his eye-stalk and headpiece are stilted and imprecise.

He is afraid.

Impossible!

Daleks do not feel fear!

And yet…

And yet I understand his fears.

I scan the banks of computer controls and allow my mind to reflect on a far earlier and later time than this, when the Empire still ruled, when the Emperor reigned in all of His Glory, when the Time War still raged…

* * *

He was a nameless Supreme guard in the employ of the Emperor when I was first made aware of his existence. Impulsive and hot-tempered, he was one of the most valued Dalek soldiers in the Empire.

A credit to both his garrison and our race, until the Second Fleet of the Gallifreyan Space Forces attacked the stronghold of the Emperor on Skaro.

It was one of the earliest skirmishes in the War, but a costly one to both the Time Lords and the Daleks.

The Emperor had ordered to evacuate from the homeworld, furious at the sheer audacity displayed by the Time Lords. The soldier had chosen to remain behind alone in order to allow the Emperor to escape unharmed, providing valuable weapons cover as the Imperial Fleet departed.

His travel unit was almost completely obliterated by the Bowships. The Imperial Palace was totally destroyed, collapsing on and around him.

I had watched the onslaught from the sanctity of the mothership. I did not expect him to survive. If he did, the Emperor should surely show his displeasure at the signs of individuality present in his mental processes. He would be exterminated.

But no.

The Emperor was most impressed with the scientific skills that two Supreme Dalek technicians had displayed in saving the guard, and with my leadership skills in researching the surgical methods required to save his life.

He created the Cult of Skaro in the wake of that event.

* * *

But the soldier…

He was forever scarred by that attack. He has hidden his feelings well, but I am aware of his situation.

His fear of the Time Lords and their power is genuine.

I do not allow him to dwell on those memories. I turn and study Thay as he glides into the chamber and moves towards the Ark.

'**Cyber threat is irrelevant. We must concentrate on the Genesis Ark!**'

His movements tighten and grow more precise. He gains his focus.

Excellent.

* * *

The two humans stand slightly to the side of the room, watching the proceedings in anxiety.

The male leans towards the female, keeping his physical presence to a minimum.

'Why're we being kept alive?'

The female stares into the middle distance, her voice low…almost sad.

'They might need me.'

The male stares at her; fear now evident in his eyes.

'What? What is it?'

Curious. She is aware of the Daleks, the Time War…and our need for biological data. An infusion of the DNA of a time traveller.

Where did she encounter a member of the Dalek race prior to this event?

But of course.

She knows the Doctor.

One of his 'companions', no doubt.

He would certainly tell her of my race, how he destroyed both my people and his own in the final attempt to end the Time War.

Or…

The mere idea is unbelievable. But probable.

One, perhaps even a number of the Dalek race may have survived the firestorm which consumed the fleets of Gallifrey and Skaro.

It is conceivable that she may have encountered them on her journeys.

That alone would justify her knowledge of us…and her fear.

Interesting.

Under 'normal' circumstances, I would be most eager to question her, to learn of her encounter.

These however, are not 'normal' circumstances.

We are at war.

And we will do whatever is necessary to win.

* * *

The humans stay out of my path in a vain attempt to remain unnoticed. The male has curled his shoulders into his body, acting as a shield for the female should there be a threat of weapon discharge.

I would not waste good firepower on these two pathetic specimens. They are at least of some use to the Cult in their present state.

They are whole.

They can touch.

I study them silently.

They are evidently close, intimate perhaps. Neither of them will willingly show their fear, but to each other…

The male holds something in his hand, and raises it to show to the female.

My curiosity is piqued.

A teleportation device. One that could feasibly be used to cross the Void.

No humans are capable of building that kind of technology. They are inadequately advanced to even envisage the power needed to create such a device.

They have stolen it.

From where, I cannot identify.

But no matter. I increase the audio receptors within my travel unit to listen more closely to their conversation.

'…I could teleport out of here, but it only carries one and I'm not leaving you.'

Sentimentality. How nauseating.

The female stares at him, incredulity echoing in her voice.

'You follow me anywhere. What'd I do to you all those years ago?'

He snorts.

'Guess I'm just stupid.'

She smiles at him, and takes his hand in hers.

'You're the bravest man I've ever known.'

His voice hardens.

'What about the Doctor?'

She holds back a laugh and stares up at the ceiling.

'Ooooh, alright; bravest human.'

The servos within my headpiece whirr slightly. I believe I could anthropomorphise and call it a sigh.

Humans. Even in the most extreme situations they can only prattle meaninglessly.

The male glances over his shoulder towards the Genesis Ark.

'Well, I can't think what the Daleks need with me. I'm nothing to them.'

Ah. Something more meaningful.

'You could be…'

The female stares at the Ark, her eyes wide with anxiety.

'…Whatever's inside that Ark is waking up, and I've seen this happen before.'

* * *

Her voice grows softer.

'The first time I saw a Dalek, it was broken. It was dying. Then I touched it; the moment I did that, I brought it back to life.'

So she encountered a Dalek near death…Fascinating.

I manoeuvre my travel unit to stand closer to them, to glean more information.

'The Doctor said that when you travel in time, you soak up all this background radiation. It's harmless, it's just there. But in the Time War, the Daleks evolved and used it as a power supply.'

I dislike the word 'evolved'. It implies that it is possible to improve upon what has already been perfected.

'I love it when you talk technical.'

Innuendo. How crude.

The female echoes my thoughts. 'Shut up!'

Her attention is drawn back to the Ark.

'If the Daleks have got something inside that thing and it needs waking up…'

The male grows alert.

'…They need you.'

She frowns.

'You've travelled in time, either one of us would do.'

So…the male travelled with the Doctor for a short period. That explains his knowledge of the Cybermen, and of time travel technology.

He studies the Ark quietly.

'Why would they build something they can't open themselves?'

The female shrugs her shoulders.

'Dunno.'

It is time to add my own voice to this conversation.

'**The technology is stolen. The Ark is not of Dalek design.**'

Both humans turn to face me. The female stares at me in confusion.

'Then who built it?'

I take great pleasure in answering her question.

'**The Time Lords.**'

Her face grows slack with horror. The male watches the Ark, anxiety spreading across his features.

I turn briefly to study the surface of the Ark, and turn back to continue.

'**This is all that survives of their homeworld.**'

The female glances in concern at the Ark, and then at me. I would conclude that she is aware of the destruction of Gallifrey and the Time Lords if she has travelled with the Doctor for any length of time.

'What's inside?'

I hold her gaze with mine.

'**The future.**'

* * *

In my research of sentient cultures, the occurrence of mystics, prophets, fortune-tellers, particularly within the Terran cultures, has been ubiquitous.

One of those cultures, the Greeks of Earth, built their religion around the powers of prophecy, and that of one of their most powerful prophets.

The Oracle of Delphi.

The legend had attracted my curiosity. One female, who could divine the future through meditation, calling upon the gods to reveal their messages to humanity.

Impossible.

And intriguing.

But it was later discovered to be a combination of simple guesswork and the effects of sulphurous gas upon a fragile neurological system.

Unlike the Oracle, I know what lies within the Ark.

I know the future.

And I know of what that future will bring.

* * *

Caan elegantly retreats from the Ark and turns to me.

'**Final stage of awakening.**'

Excellent.

I position myself before the female.

'**Your handprint will open the Ark.**'

She glares back at me with a strange ferocity.

'Well tough, 'cos I'm not doing it.'

Her obstinacy will cost her dearly.

'**You will obey or the male will die.**'

She flinches imperceptibly and turns towards the Ark.

'I can't let them do it.'

The male attempts to remain calm.

'Rose, don't!'

Rose…

Ah. The knowledge gleaned from the former Doctor Singh yields her full name.

Rose Tyler.

I continue to stare at her.

'**Place your hand upon the casket.**'

She snarls at me.

'Al_right_!'

Her gaze drops.

'They're gonna kill us anyway, so what the hell.'

She knows us too well for her own good.

She moves towards the Ark, pauses, and turns to face me, her expression one of curiosity.

'If you…escaped the Time War…don't you wanna know what happened?'

I do not have time for this…

'**Place your hand upon--**'

She cuts me off.

'What happened to the _Emperor_?'

* * *

I feel a sudden chill overtake my limbs within my travel unit as I fall back from her.

She knows of him.

She encountered the glorious Emperor…?

I do not dare to raise my hopes…but I must know!

'**...The _Emperor_ survived?**'

She smirks.

''Till he met _me_.'

Her voice hardens.

''Cos if these are gonna be my last words then you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor, and I took the Time Vortex, and poured it into his head, and turned him into dust.'

I stare at her in silent horror.

'You got that?'

She smirks once again.

'The God of All Daleks…and I destroyed him.'

Her voice becomes a peal of mocking laughter.

And my own rage takes control.

* * *

She, a mere weak human, defeated the Emperor.

A _human_.

_A human_.

**_A human!_**

I raise my weapon-stalk to her face, the rest of the Cult following my actions. The Ark no longer matters in the face of this…this _hubris_.

'**_YOU WILL BE EX-TER-MI-NATED!_**'

* * *

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: And so comes the final part of Dalek Sec's tale…so far.

* * *

Disclaimer: The Cult of Skaro and Doctor Who are the property of Terry Nation, the BBC, and Russell T Davies. I own the Knights Tempus and my own original character. That's about it.

Warning: Utterly HUGE spoilers for AoG/Doomsday, possibly some for The Runaway Bride, and me taking a few massive liberties with the fate of the Cult…

* * *

**Rift: Part 3**

* * *

'Oh now, hold on, wait a minute!'

Another voice?

But who…?

I turn my eye-stalk to stare at the figure approaching the group, and the chill takes hold of my limbs once more.

I do not forget a face. Especially not one of the many faces of the Doctor.

Tall, thin and dark-haired; more youthful than his previous recorded incarnations, but no less lethal.

We must be cautious.

Thay notices the lean Time Lord and reacts instinctively.

'**Alert! Alert!**'

I move forward to intercept.

'**You are the Doctor!**'

Jast, ever practical, states the most critical piece of information required at this point in time.

'**Sensors report he is unarmed!**'

The Doctor merely smiles in confirmation.

'Yep. That's me, always.'

I sneer in satisfaction.

'**Then you are powerless.**'

He does not change expression.

'Ohh, not me, never!'

He turns to Rose and offers her a wider smile.

'How're you?'

She laughs. Whether out of relief or out of tension, I cannot tell.

'Ooooh, same old, you know?'

He smiles and turns to face the male. His smile grows more confident.

'Good. And Mickey de-Mick Mickey! Nice to see you!'

They both raise their right fists and touch knuckles. Bizarre. The male…Mickey, smiles, although it is smaller than that of Rose.

'And you boss.'

Caan has been watching this conversation with increasing agitation. His patience is already wearing thin.

'**Social interaction will cease!**'

I move forward to scrutinise the Time Lord before me. My curiosity is overwhelming, I must know…

'**How did you survive the Time War?**'

He faces me, his expression censored but his eyes shadowed with pain.

'By fighting. On the front line. I was there at the Fall of Arcadia.'

Rose and Mickey both stare at him, their faces both filled with ambivalent curiosity. Clearly they have heard him speak few times, of at all, of his role in the War.

His voice drops in pitch, in subtle pain. 'Someday I might even come to terms with that.'

* * *

Just as my people will one day come to terms with the destruction of Skaro? I think not, Doctor.

We shall never forget. And nor will you, for that is the curse of the Time Lords. You will go on, forever, alone.

We observed what immortality brought to your race. Sterility, bureaucracy and stagnation, and finally obliteration.

The Daleks…we never sought immortality. The extermination of all weaker lifeforms and the triumph of the Dalek Empire, but never the life eternal.

For we are unafraid of death.

We fear only the Ka-Faraq Gatri, who leaves not simply the peaceful release of death, but life-changing devastation in his wake.

We fear only you, _Doctor_.

* * *

A bright smile covers his face. His eyes are mocking, hiding all of his pain and fear.

'But _you_ lot…ran away!'

I snarl instinctively. '**We had to survive!**'

He stares around the room, not meeting my gaze. 'The last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about _you_?'

Rose interrupts before I am able to continue. 'Doctor, they've got names. I mean, Daleks don't have _names_, do they?'

Correct. However, _we_ do have names.

'But one of them said…'

And I feel it is time to introduce ourselves.

Thay moves forward.

'**I am Dalek Thay.**'

Thay, the celebrated warrior of Kaled legend.

Now it is my turn. '**Dalek Sec.**'

Sec, the lord of the gods, all-knowing and invincible.

'**Dalek Jast.**'

Jast, the philosopher of old, wise and loyal.

'**Dalek Caan.**'

Caan, the healer and teacher of the gods.

The Time Lord looks at us, his curiosity warring with hatred and admiration. 'So that's it…at last! The Cult of Skaro. I though you were just a legend.'

Rose stares at him, inquisitiveness in her eyes. 'Who are they?'

He gazes at me. 'A secret order.'

His gaze moves to Thay as he walks around the Ark. 'Above and beyond the Emperor himself.'

Caan glares at him as he passes. 'Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names.'

Jast turns to stare as he approaches. 'All to find new ways of killing.'

Mickey is more cautious as he watches the Doctor. 'But that thing, they said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords, they built it, what does it do?'

The Time Lord shakes his head. 'I don't know. Never seen it before.'

Rose now stares at him with incredulity. 'But it's…_Time Lord_.' The emphasis on the last two words is obvious.

So. Little or nothing survives of either the Time Lords or Gallifrey bar the murderous specimen before me, and his aging TARDIS. I feel a glimmer of satisfaction at the thought.

He shakes his head again. 'Both sides had secrets.'

You have no idea, Doctor. None at all.

He turns his gaze back to me. 'What is it, what have you done?'

I stay completely still as I meet the stare of the Time Lord before me. '**Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy.**'

He looks askance. His frustration is clear in his voice. 'What does that mean? What sort of 'Time Lord science'? What do you mean?'

Rose interrupts before I am able to answer.

'They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up.'

The Doctor sighs and stares into my eyestalk, his eyes cold.

'Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch.'

He leans in, his voice hard and low, and his eyes now dark with hate.

'Sealed inside your casing, not feeling anything, ever. From birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage, completely alone.'

His voice drops even further.

'And that explains your voice…no wonder you _scream_.'

* * *

We are alone because of _you_.

Not because we wish it, but because we must tolerate it.

You believe that you know loneliness, Doctor? You have never suffered as we have. You have never been without those whom you love, even now. You can recall with contentment the security that only a touch can bring.

There was a time on Skaro, so many millennia ago, that we were not alone. The Kaleds were not bred by the cloning processes used in the hatcheries; they were born naturally into clans. Sharing of the same blood, but born of the union of a male and female, and conceived from desire, not from military commands.

From that, the Kaleds knew of family, of the strength of the clan, of the strength of a touch.

No Dalek was ever born into a clan. But the race memory of family, of unity, of contact is too strong to fight. We remember the calm, the concord, even the love.

We remain alone, locked within our travel units because we cannot bear to remember what we were made to lose for victory.

* * *

I glare at him, hate filling my body. '**The Doctor will open the Ark!**'

He guffaws loudly and strides away. 'The Doctor will _not_.'

'**You have no way of resisting.**'

He nods. 'Well, you got me there. Although…'

One hand disappears into his jacket and emerges clutching a small cylindrical device.

'There is always _this_.'

I stare at the device with scepticism. '**A sonic probe.**'

He looks almost insulted. 'That's _screwdriver_.'

I do hope he can hear the derision in my vocal unit. '**It is harmless.**'

'Oh yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim.'

He pauses. 'But I'll tell you what it does do. It is _very_ good…at opening doors.'

A blue flash…

And explosions rock the building.

* * *

The doors crumple like paper as they are blown into the Sphere Chamber, plaster and concrete littering the floor.

I turn and watch in disbelief as Cybermen spill through the doorways, led by a number of black-clad humans. The tallest of them, a male levels a projectile weapon at Dalek Thay and fires without warning.

Thay screams in distress as the bolt hits his travel unit.

'**Alert! Alert! Casing impaired!**'

Whatever that energy was…it can pierce through Dalek shields. Perhaps even lethally.

I take aim and fire at the advancing Cyber troops, my anger and fear growing with every second.

'**Firepower insufficient! Firepower insufficient!**'

'_DALEKS WILL BE DELETED. DELETE. DELETE._'

I will not lose Thay! I will not witness any more of my people perish at the hands of the Time Lords and their worthless allies!

My moment of panic ends as the Cyber troops begin to fall. Jast surveys the situation and prepares for a counter-strike.

'**Adapt to weaponry!**'

I feel the power flowing through my travel unit as I fire.

'**Firepower restored!**'

The troops fall. The humans somehow manage to avoid the weapons discharge, all staying close to ground level, the Doctor, Rose and Mickey disappearing into the clouds of smoke.

A flash of grey attracts my attention. One Cyberman lunges at Mickey as he attempts to flee, causing him to overbalance and fall.

His hand makes contact with the surface of the Ark.

His expression is one of pain as the surface burns, absorbing the artron radiation within his DNA. He rips his hand away from the Ark and flees, following the Doctor, Rose, and the motley collection of humans as they escape the chaos of the chamber.

Jast stares after the retreating humans, led by the Doctor as they sprint out of the Sphere Chamber. '**Cybermen primary target! EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

* * *

A thick cloud of steam and nitrogen gushes from the base of the Ark, the surface glowing, the long dormant technology now crackling with life and power.

The Ark is awake.

The four of us encircle the ancient vessel in triumph.

I cannot repress the cry of triumph which emerges from my vocal unit.

'**Cybermen have been exterminated! Daleks are supreme!**'

Jast is no less content in confirming the status of the Ark. '**The Genesis Ark is primed!**'

Excellent.

Soon it will be war.

I do hope that the Cybermen and the humans are ready for war.

If not…

A strange sensation thrills my limbs within my travel unit. A feeling of contentment, of humour.

Mirth.

Unnecessary in a Dalek. But curiously pleasant.

The Cybermen and humans will never be ready for what we intend to bring forth from the Ark.

But it will be most gratifying to watch.

I study the doorways and correlate my calculations with the downloaded schematics of the Torchwood Tower.

'**The Ark needs area of thirty square miles. Move.**'

My brethren fall into rank and file alongside the Ark as it slowly propels itself towards the door, the movement oddly similar to a Dalek in itself. A more simplistic brother of sorts, but no less lethal.

Thay does not attempt to hold his delight in check. '**Genesis** **Ark** **mobile!**'

* * *

The fortieth floor of Torchwood One is filled with Cybermen and human personnel, all armed with weaponry both human and alien in origin, and all of it aimed at us.

Behind them lies the bastardized remains of a Jathaar Sunglider, the sleek form raped and pillaged for reasons unknown.

'**EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

'DELETE!!'

This is not the time to question human motivations, however.

I move forward, the Ark behind me, my shield absorbing the combined weapons discharge of both the humans and the Cybermen.

'**EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

'DELETE!! DELETE!!'

We move slowly, deliberately. They can do no harm to us now.

Thay keeps his focus on the troops, firing indiscriminately and watching them fall with an air of excitement.

Jast and Caan both choose to study the surroundings of the floor, firing their weapon-stalks accurately, but in a state comparable to boredom.

I am not surprised. This is nothing compared to the glorious battles they have participated with in the past. These feeble creatures are barely worth the energy discharge.

But if they _will_ continue to fire upon us…

'**EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

'DELETE!! DELETE!!'

The Ark moves forward, following my lead. To my immediate right, I hear the monotonous voice of the Cyber Leader as it raises its arm to its vocaliser.

'EMERGENCY. ALL UNITS WILL CONVERGE ON THE TORCHWOOD TOWER. REPEAT, ALL CYBERMEN TO TORCHWOOD.'

So they are summoning the troops. Our efforts here are not completely in vain.

No matter. It will do them no good even if the troops do succeed in converging on the base.

I turn and stare at the ceiling panels above us, a thrill of excitement filling my body.

'**Override roof mechanism!**'

The grey panels begin to part, the light of Sol pouring through the increasing gap and filling the room with a sudden brilliance.

My trans-solar discs activate with only a thought.

'**Elevate.**'

I rise above the clouds of smoke, the sounds of screams, the burn of weapon-fire, the Genesis Ark soaring with me into the sky.

Thay, Jast and Caan continue their actions, unhindered now by the need to protect the Ark.

More Cybermen fall as I rise.

My brethren do the Emperor, and myself, proud with their will to fight. If the Emperor had lived to see this moment…

A flicker of anger, tinged with an emotion I cannot identify, makes my limbs shiver.

The female destroyed him. Vanquished him as if he were naught but a Terran fly.

This shall be his vengeance now, through his most powerful servant.

* * *

My travel unit soars above London, leading the Genesis Ark to its release point. Observing the grounds below, I cast my gaze over the River Thames as I halt above the area known as Canary Wharf, the Ark beside me, waiting for commands.

'**The Genesis Ark will open!**'

The hatchway on the northern side of the Ark slowly opens, revealing the valuable cargo within.

I recognise him immediately.

The Garrison Leader of the Sixth Order of Skaro, declared MIA with the rest of his Order over the planet Necros.

The Ark spins.

The garrison members soar out of their prison, into the skies above London. Hundreds, no; thousands of Daleks are spat out of the Ark, as if the gods of hell and war had attempted to consume them, and flung them back to the mortal realm in horror.

* * *

Time Lord science.

The Ark is dimensionally transcendental, yes. But cleverer, more subtle, was the use of Time Lord science to pollute the technology of the Daleks.

The improvements which were made to our travel units during the War were done so with the intention that we would absorb the background artron radiation from the Time Vortex, and utilize it as a power source. The nature of the War provided more than enough opportunities for our race to travel within the Vortex, and thus absorb the necessary radiation.

But the individual Dalek soldiers; they did not possess the necessary technology to travel through time independently. If damaged or forced to remain dormant for extended periods, they would require the living DNA of a time-traveler to regenerate their travel units.

A minor flaw, yes. But a critical one. One which the Cult was somewhat lax in realising.

The Time Lords, courtesy of their own militia the Knights Tempus, pillaged our technology and incorporated it into the design of their prison ships, using the one action a Dalek cannot do.

Touch.

They were indeed cunning.

And now that cunning will serve the Daleks, and aid our return to power, to glory, to our ultimate victory.

* * *

The light of Sol falls upon the golden travel units in the sky, and the dull silver of the Cyber units below.

The garrisons fall into rank and file, the garrison leaders on point and scanning the area for possible threats.

I hover next to the rapidly emptying Ark and study the formation before me as bolts of shimmering red laserfire soar towards us.

For my people, there is only one order they require now.

'**Exterminate all lifeforms below! EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

The sizzle of Dalek weapons fire echoes within my audio receivers, as pleasant to me as any music ever could be.

Below me, on the ground, humans and Cybermen fall to the might of my people, their bodies glowing white as the weapons fire rearranges their internal organs within the space of a second.

* * *

I spare a curious glance at the windows of the Torchwood Tower.

A building of grey and white, the glass reflecting the jet of my travel unit and the dull golden glow of the Ark. Steel and stone placed together to create a pleasant appearance to something so functional.

Is that what the Cybermen referred to as elegance?

If so, it is somewhat unusual. There is some strange…impression I feel as I stare a little longer. Almost a feeling, an admiration. The artistry, the precision need to create such a building.

But in that admiration, there is something of a dislike.

The building is sterile, and physically as cold as the blood of my people. And the reflection of the light in glass - a tactical error. Perhaps something more metallic, sturdier. More sweeping, and yet grand, befitting of strength…

I dismiss the thought as rapidly as it arises.

* * *

My delight at the carnage below is tempered only by the knowledge of one rogue element.

The Doctor.

He lives still.

And given his past, present and future association with Earth, and his insane fondness for the Earthlings, there is no doubt that he will attempt to stop us.

But what can he do?

He is but one Time Lord, with one TARDIS which was scrap when he first stole it from his people.

No President Romanadvoratrelundar to guide his actions.  
No Lady Rani to give him orders.  
No Lady Kalitharian to hold his whims in check.

He is unpredictable.

And that makes him more deadly than ever.

My suspicions are confirmed as my systems alert me to activity within Torchwood One.

Activity which…

No.

No!!

He cannot do this!!

The panic floods my systems before I can gain control of it. '**Breach active! It is the Doctor! EX-TER-MI-NATE HIM!!**'

Members of the Fourth Garrison swoop down towards the top floor of the Tower, above the rift which led us back to this universe.

'**EX-TER-MI-NATE!!**'

They will do their duty, I have no doubt.

And then I feel it.

The Void.

The radiation within my body calls to the rift, pulling me down, pulling me towards it.

I see the Fourth Garrison being sucked through the windows of Torchwood One, their screams of fear echoing in my audio receivers.

The weapons-fire of the Cybermen stops. They halt, and then disappear in flickers of silver. Sucked through the cracks of reality into the Void.

The screams of my fellow Daleks as they are plucked from the skies and dragged by the unseen vortex…where are the others?

Where are Thay, Jast and Caan?

Where is the Cult?

Where are my brothers?!

I cannot see them, I cannot sense them…and that fills me with more dread than any Time Lord ever could.

I can only give the order and hope they will hear it.

'**Emergency temporal shift!!**'

The last image I see as my teleportation systems engage is that of the Ark shuddering, and then being pulled violently towards Torchwood One…

* * *

Where…?

Where am I…?

A sense of inertia sweeps through my systems as my optic sensors engage.

A laboratory. Where and when I cannot ascertain, but it is almost comforting in a way.

I attempt to maneuver my travel unit with no response. Either disabled or damaged.

Panic once again takes hold of my limbs as my memory banks come back online. The Daleks, my people - gone. Lost in the Void.

And my brothers…

Grief now settles into my thoughts as my organic eye closes in pain.

I cannot feel their presence on the edge of my mind, as I have done throughout the years in exile. They were my people, my companions, my comrades.

My brothers.

Jast and Caan, they were my brothers in the sense of camaraderie, of unity.

But Thay…

Impulsive, brash, youthful Thay.

It took a chance medical treatment during the final stages of the War to discover the information. Raw Dalek DNA had been required for experimentation to save Thay from a viral form of gangrenous necrosis, the closer to his own genetic pattern the better. All of us willingly gave of our DNA in the attempt to save our brother.

The material from Caan and Jast alone would have been sufficient. But the genetic material that Thay and I had been cloned from was _identical_. No alterations barring the age of the material. Cloned and the resulting embryos hatched at different times, yes. I was precisely nine solar cycles in age when Thay was hatched.

He was my younger brother.

It did not affect my emotions, or my treatment of him. Indeed, he gave no indication that our genetic bond was either a help or a hindrance to him.

But now…

I have failed them.

I have failed my comrades, my companions.

But most painful of all…

I have failed my brother.

* * *

A sudden tap on my travel unit distracts me from my grief.

A voice speaks, the weariness in it tempered by apprehension.

'You better not have died in there. Took me forever dragging your shiny metal ass in here.'

I wearily raise my eye-stalk to better study the being…and freeze.

A petite female figure clothed in military fatigues stands before me, hands on hips as she bends slightly to stare into my eye-stalk. Dark hair falls around a thin, heart-shaped face; dark eyes scrutinising me with caution and recognition.

The flash of the snake-dragon tattoo on the right forearm confirms my initial suspicions.

I know this being. I knew her and her commander before her.

She raises her left hand and taps a metal finger against my ID plate below my eye-stalk, studying the characters imprinted on the metal of my head-piece.

And smirks.

'I would say it's good to see you again, Dalek Sec, but we both know that'd be an utter lie.'

My limbs twitch in nervousness…and curiously, relief.

'**Likewise…Lady Kalitharian.**'

She stands up and arches her back before moving across to a control panel and tapping some form of alpha-numeric sequence into it.

'Don't even try moving. Your motor functions are disabled, along with your weaponry. State of temporal grace inside a TARDIS and all.'

'**I am aware of the temporal laws. You will not be harmed.**'

'Like I would trust a _Dalek's_ promise. And on that basis, I also disabled your battle computer.'

If she dies, her TARDIS dies with her. And she will not take her chances with any Dalek, not after the death of the Rani.

It was a great pity that the head of the Knights Tempus died so easily. The Emperor was foolish to execute her before we had the opportunity of downloading her brainwaves. But no matter.

She finishes her work, and then grabbing a chair, she turns it so that the back-rest faces me and straddles it, folding her arms across the top as she studies me with a calculating gaze.

'So…how did you survive the Time War?'

'**We had to survive. We hid in the Void. We waited for the time to return.**'

'The Void? But that's impossible, you'd need serious technology behind that…' She stops and narrows her eyes.

'Technology _you_ managed to perfect, am I right?'

'**Correct.**'

'So where's the ship?'

'**Earth. In the year 2007. The Torchwood Institute.**'

She waves a dismissive hand. 'Never heard of them.'

'**We emerged there. Thay, Jast, Caan and myself. We faced the Cybermen-**'

Her face grows taut and pale as she clutches her left arm.

I halt for barely a second to study her arm. A metal prosthetic, well-designed with reinforced steel. I can only make an assumption as to how she lost the original with the reaction she displays.

She shakes her head and blinks. 'Go on.'

'**We faced the Cybermen. And we faced the Doctor.**'

Her eyes widen in shock.

Unsurprising, considering their history. But something is not right. I would have expected a somewhat more violent reaction from her. Not this.

This is too restrained a reaction.

She knew this already.

But…how?

'He's…still alive? He was alive when you saw him last?'

'**Uncertain. But of all who could survive, it will be him.**'

She smirks once more and stands, pulling a small metal device from the pocket of her battered military trousers.

'Congratulations. You all just earned a reprieve.'

The device whirrs and beeps as my battle computer and communication circuits reboot. My manipulator stalk and weapon-stalk twitch as I suddenly regain the ability to move.

I stare at her in bewilderment. '**_All_?**'

And then I feel them.

Their thoughts, their emotions…

I turn and study the three beings before me, their travel units scratched and battered, but intact.

Jast is the first to speak, raising his manipulator stalk in a sign of greeting.

'**We heard the order, as you intended.**'

Caan raises his manipulator stalk to touch that of Jast. My own manipulator stalk touches that of Caan, forming three sides of a square, shaking in relief as I move.

'**We survived, as you wanted.**'

The last manipulator stalk touches mine, scarred and scratched. Thay stares at me, determination in his gaze.

'**We cannot be killed. We will live on to fulfill your orders, Dalek Sec.**'

My friends.

My comrades.

My brethren.

And Thay…

The strength returns to my limbs as I return the gaze of Thay.

My _brother_ lives on. Unharmed and whole, in spite of the actions of the Ka-Faraq Gatri.

The Bringer of Darkness did not take him this day. And he will never gain another chance to do so.

My head-piece turns and I exchange a look with the young Time Lord behind me, watching the reunion with mild curiosity.

I will find out her intentions in due course. But for now…

We will wait. Rebuild and make our plans.

* * *

We will face the Doctor once again, that is a certainty.

But this time, we shall have the victory.

This time…we shall have our revenge.

* * *

END


End file.
